The review of the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme will take a step forward with the publication of maps.

The Irish Farmers Journal has learned that the maps are likely to be published in March.

The draft maps will contain land the Department of Agriculture will class as disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged. Some 75% of the country is currently classed as being disadvantaged.

A new ANC programme, formerly the disadvantaged area scheme, must be signed off by the Government and sent to Brussels by the end of the year. If the new programme is not complete by 2018, the 95,000 farmers receiving ANC payments will have their payments slashed by 20% in that year.

Once the maps are published, significant political pressure will ramp up to have any non-disadvantaged areas classed as disadvantaged in the next ANC programme.

Meanwhile, both the IFA and the INHFA are continuing their respective ANC campaigns.

The IFA took its major campaign to Cootehill in Cavan last week, where it told MEP Mairead McGuinness and Minister Heather Humphreys as well as the hundreds of farmers in attendance that it wants to maintain all areas currently designated; to restore funding to €250m per year; and, to set payment rates that reflect natural handicap.

The INHFA launched a three-point plan on its view of the ANC review. It is campaigning for a front-loaded payment on the first 20ha at a payment rate of €250/ha. The second point is to increase the rate on the next 14ha to €170/ha and increase the overall numbers of eligible hectares from 34 to 40 with payment of €70/ha on each hectare over 34ha.

The INHFA is proposing that this be done by adding all Natura, privately owned hill and commonage in mountain areas as “specifically constrained”, which would allow for higher payment rates, similar to those currently seen on the islands. This would boost ANC payments from the current cap of approximately €3,400 to €7,800 for farmers with 40ha or more of Natura, hill or commonage land.

The IFA’s next meeting takes place at Corrin Mart, Fermoy, Co Cork, on Friday 24 February at 8.30pm.

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